DRESDEN, Ont. — An Ontario farm couple is sending a real message to elementary children through virtual hookups. Judy and Doug Krall, who produce eggs and grow crops, use computer programs such as Skype and FaceTime to communicate live with students through smartphones and tablets. Biosecurity is definitely not an issue. “This is a great […] Read more
Stories by Jeffrey Carter
Dairy product takes aim at yogurt market
WOODSTOCK, Ont. — A new dairy product has hit Ontario and may soon be on grocery store shelves elsewhere. Rob London, senior product manager with the Gay Lea Foods Co-operative, said its Nordica Smooth cottage cheese products were two years in the making. “It’s a brand new innovation in North America. We haven’t seen it […] Read more
Ontario company’s success hinges on open trade
ST. THOMAS, Ont. — At a meeting where other speakers questioned the wisdom of liberalized trade, the owner of a small agricultural manufacturing company talked about its upside. Glen Buurma said Penta, which manufactures feed mixers, multi-purpose dump boxes and tillage equipment, has been in expansion mode since launching its tillage line in 2009. Sixty […] Read more
Ont. vegetable growers weather the weather
Excessive rain and greater than usual disease pressure have challenged producers growing for the processing market
WALLACEBURG, Ont. — Ontario’s processing tomato growers have had to work their way through excessive early season rain and, in some cases, greater than usual disease pressure. Brothers Eric and Wilf Allaer have fared better than most. “It was early on in June when there was the biggest disease pressure, but our quality has been […] Read more
Corn takes ‘roller-coaster’ ride in Ontario
Excessive rainfall in June and July caused the variability seen in the province’s corn and soybean crops this year
DRESDEN, Ont. — There’s little certainty of profit for Ontario’s corn growers this year, according to analysts with two of the province’s largest co-operatives. “I’d say right now it’s a losing proposition (for some),” said Frank Backx, a grain marketer with the Hensall District Co-operative. “It depends totally on your land cost.” Don Kabbes, market […] Read moreConsider alternative hive design, reduce pesticides: bee expert
GUELPH, Ont. — North America’s commercial beekeepers should consider the increasing interest in alternative apicultural practices, according to one of the world’s leading experts on bees and pollination. Mark Winston, a professor from British Columbia’s Simon Fraser University, also suggests taking a close look at current practices, including the use of pesticides to control honeybee […] Read more
Farming goes on after neonic restrictions: Italian official
GUELPH, Ont. — Corn growers in Italy grumbled when broad restrictions to neonicotinoid use were announced in 2008. They feared yield losses to insect pests if the chemicals were re-moved but those fears never materialized, according to Franco Mutinelli, who spoke at the Aug. 12 Eastern Apicultural Society conference. It is something for Ontario growers […] Read more
Hairy tomatoes come with built-in protection
The hairs on a tomato, which are called trichomes, have defensive capabilities for deterring insect threats
Anyone growing tomatoes has likely observed the profusion of tiny hairs. University of Guelph plant breeder Steve Loewen says there are good reasons for their presence. In science speak, the hairs are known as trichomes, and there are two main types: glandular and non-glandular. Both types appear on the stems and leaves and can be […] Read more
Farmers blame stray voltage for cow deaths
THAMESVILLE, Ont. —Tears came to Patrick Herbert’s eyes, and a choke to his voice, when he revealed the latest victim on his farm. The cow had recently birthed its second calf. It had since gone off its feed, and it struggled to stand. Its udder and splayed legs seem strangely distorted. “It gets to you. […] Read more
Vomitoxin threatens Ontario wheat
CHATHAM, Ont. — Ontario wheat yields are highly variable and the crop contains significant levels of vomitoxin, says a senior agronomist with AGRIS Co-operative. “Much of the wheat is Grade 2, but they could have trouble selling it to feed mills because the vomitoxin levels may be too high,” Dale Cowan said. The province’s wheat […] Read more
